THE STEPHEN MINISTRY

Sunset Hills United Presbyterian Church is a Stephen Ministry Congregation. This means lay people, who have had 50 hours of training, assist the pastor ministering to members of the congregation where needed.

The Stephen Series is named in honor of Stephen, whose story is told in the sixth chapter of the book of Acts. As you recall, the Apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit, commissioned a group of individuals to work with them to do acts of caring minstry, and Stephen was one of those persons. Hence, Stephen became one of the first lay persons to be sent forth to do a caring ministry.

The Stephen Series began at St. Stephen Church in St. Louis, Missouri, where Dr. Kenneth Haugk was serving as an associate pastor. It developed in response to three specific needs Dr. Haugk saw in his congregation:

  • The need for lay people to be meaningfully and actively involved in ministries that utilize their gifts.
  • The need for church staff to have help in performing the overwhelming ministry to all those in need of care.
  • The need for people having struggles in their lives to receive high quality, distinctively Christian care.

    The Stephen Series is now in more than 8,500 congregations from more than 100 Christian denominations in all 50 states, Canada and 20 other countries.

    Leaders are trained at Leader's Training Courses and then go back to their home congregations to train Stephen Ministers who will provide one-to-one care to the bereaved, hospitalized, divorced, separated, unemployed, relocated, terminally ill and others facing a crisis or life challenge.

    Click one of the links below for more about Stephen Ministry:

    Women

    Men

    Stephen Ministers: The After People

    Stephen Ministries, St. Louis